Vanier

| Sarah Simpkin

Nothing says “Friday late afternoon” like a socially distanced visit with a fellow librarian and a library stop along the way! On today’s docket: a ride to Vanier and a visit with Felicity.

Obligatory farm view and scenes along the pathway in Vincent Massey Park.

I headed out across the farm as usual, then turned onto Baseline Road to access the off-ramp to Vincent Massey Park. Once on the Rideau River Eastern Pathway, I cruised north all the way to Beechwood Avenue. Smooth sailing on a sunny afternoon.

More views from the Rideau River Eastern Pathway, including the Queensway underpass and a lively Rideau Sports Centre on Donald Street.

There’s a bike lane running along Beechwood Avenue, and I enjoyed my ride along the storefronts to Jolliet Avenue. From there, I entered Vanier and followed the library signs to the branch, which is at the end of Pères-Blancs Avenue. When I first moved to Ottawa, some of my close friends lived in this neighbourhood, so I enjoyed a nostalgic tour around our old haunts.

Construction near the River Road/Montreal Road intersection, scenes of Beechwood and Vanier.

The library itself is located in a heritage building near the Richelieu-Vanier Community Centre, Vanier Muséoparc and a sugar shack, which I’ve previously enjoyed visiting during the maple syrup harvest.

Scenes from the Vanier branch, plus Felicity modelling a fabulous Marimekko top.

From the library, it was a quick ride over to Beechwood to spend some quality patio time with Felicity.

Twenty five branches down, 8 to go.